1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a freezer machine adapted for use in ice making machines, refrigerators or the like.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
In the refrigeration system of conventional freezer machines, a solenoid valve of the normally closed type is disposed within a bypass line of the refrigeration circulation circuit to supply therethrough the hot gas outflowing from the refrigerant compressor directly into the evaporator coil when the solenoid valve has been energized. Such an arrangement of the solenoid valve is useful to dissolve the external surfaces of frozen ice cubes for removal of them from the freezing receptacle. It has been, however, found that during the freezing cycle, the compressed gaseous refrigerant from the compressor leaks out from the solenoid valve and is liquified in the course of lapse of time. The liquified refrigerant flows into the evaporator coil and is confined therein. When accumulated in the evaporator coil, the liquified refrigerant flows into the compressor from the evaporator coil in restart of the freezing cycle, causing unexpected trouble of the compressor.
In the case that an accumulator is disposed in a line between the evaporator coil and compressor to store the liquified refrigerant flowing therein from the evaporator coil, the amount of gaseous refrigerant to be circulated into the compressor will decrease in accordance with an increase of the liquified refrigerant in the accumulator. This results in deterioration of the freezing performance of the freezer machine. In addition, such an arrangement of the accumulator results in an increase of manufacturing cost of the freezer machine.